Fastener

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a fastener consisting of a first portion arranged to hold an element, preferably a cable, and a second, peg-shaped portion arranged to be introduced into a hole in a base and to be expanded into engagement with the walls of the hole by means of an expanding element, which portions and element are arranged to form a single unit.

The present invention relates to a fastener comprising a first portion arranged to hold an element, preferably a cable, and a second portion arranged to make possible the attaching of the fastener to a base by means of the engagement with the walls of a hole drilled in the same.

In connection with fasteners for cables, tubes and similar elements, which shall be attached to a material, into which a nail can be driven in only with difficulty, usually first a hole will be drilled in the material, which serves as a base for the fastener, whereafter the fastener is fixed in the hole by the use of an expanding plug and screw. This is rather complicated. and three elements, viz. the fastener, the expanding plug, and the screw, must be handled simultaneously, which can be difficult, as cable mounting often is takes place at points difficult to reach.

It is an object of the invention to provide a fastener for cables tubes and similar elements intended to be fastened to a base, in which nails cannot or only with difficulty can be driven in and which fastener is considerably much easier to handle during the attaching operation than fasteners of the prior art.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a fastener, which has a lower manufacturing cost than the cost of cable fasteners of earlier known types complete with the fixing elements mentioned.

The objects of the invention are reached by designing the fastener, so that the first portion, which is substantially rigid, is connected with elements, shaped as pegs, of the second portion, the peg shaped portions being arranged to be introduced into the hole and to expand relative to each other in order to produce a squeezing engagement to the walls of the hole, so that the fastener is firmly secured to the base.

The fundamental idea of the invention involves giving the fastener such a design that it is connected with an expanding element, corresponding to the plug mentioned. The expanding element can be of such type that in order to fasten the same, no screw is not required, or the screw together with a fastener and an expanding element can be mounted into an assembly to form a unit.

In the accompanying drawings five embodiments of the object of the invention are represented with illustrations and will now be described below.

In FIG. 1 a perspective view of a first embodiment is shown.

In FIG. 2 the same embodiment is shown in side elevational view, while FIG. 3 on a larger scale than in the previous figures illustrates a portion in cross sectional view along the line III--III of FIG. 2.

The second embodiment is shown in perspective view in FIG. 4, in side elevation in FIG. 5, and in front view in FIG. 6.

The third embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 7 in perspective view, FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the same embodiment in mounted condition.

FIG. 9 shows the fourth embodiment in perspective view, FIG. 10 illustrating the same embodiment in mounted condition in side elevation.

FIG. 11 shows the fifth embodiment in perspective view, and finally in FIG. 12 the same embodiment as in FIG. 11 is illustrated in mounted condition in side elevation.

According to FIGS. 1 and 2 the fastener comprises a portion 1, intended to embrace a cable, a tube or similar element, which portion may exhibit an inner pleated surface to make possible the adaptation to different dimensions of said element. With the portion 1 a cubical portion, viz. the attachment 2, is connected which provides a groove 3. Two parts 4 provided with outer flanges 5 and in cross section each exhibiting approximately half a circle extend from the two edges of the groove 3, said parts 4 intended to form a plug in the hole, used for the fixation of the fastener to its base.

As is evident from FIG. 3 the groove 3 has parallel sides extending through the portion 2 and downwards between the plug parts 4. Thereafter the groove 3 passes to a tapering portion with slightly furrowed surfaces 6. Where the surfaces 6 terminate the groove terminates with a crossbar 7, which extends a distance outside of the plug parts 4. Outside of the bar 7, that is, below the bar as viewed in FIG. 3, the plug parts 4 are split by a groove 8, the design of which can be varied within wide limits.

At the other end of the bar 7 a stud 9 of a rectangular cross-section is attached, which stud passes into a tapering furrowed portion 10, which corresponds with the surfaces 6 between the plug parts 4. The stud 9 at its outer end exhibits a part 11 extending crosswise. The whole fastener thus can be made in one piece, preferably by injection moulding of plastics, and provides thereby two main portions connected by means of the bar 7.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 - 6 also intended to be made in one piece by diecasting of plastics and for that reason comprises two main portions 22 and 23 connected along a very small distance by means of a portion 21. Each one of the main portions exhibits a part 24 and 25, respectively, shaped like a semicircle, and elongated parts 27. The parts 27 constitute the halves of a plug and are provided with projecting flanges 28. Each of the embracing parts 24 and 25 are provided with a hookshaped organ 29, arranged to hold together their edges, and are further provided with chamfered surfaces 30, which, if the parts 24,25 are put together, tend to produce a sideways displacement in between them. As is evident from FIG. 5, the parts 24 and 25 in their free position are not in alignment with one another, which, on the contrary, is the case with the plug halves 27 in that position. The surfaces in question are chamfered in order to provide a centering of the parts 24 and 25 in relation to each other, when they are moved together. This arrangement is also evident from FIG. 6, which illustrates a fastener seen in the direction of the arrow VI in FIG. 5 with the parts 24 and 25 out of contact with each other.

The fasteners according to the remaining embodiments are intended to be made of sheet metal. Thus, a fastener according to the third embodiment as per FIGS. 7, 8 comprises a sheet metal strip exhibiting a first arc shaped section 34 extending backwards in parallel extension to the surface of the section 32 and parts 35 and 36 connected in V-shape arrangement to each other, the centerline of which parting at right angle from the section 32 and being located right in front of the hole 33. The part 35 projects from the section 34, and both the parts 35 and 36 are bent in hollow shape towards each other and provided with stamped out portions 37 in crosswise arrangement to said centerline. The parts 35 and 36 are resiliently held together in such a way that a wood screw 38, only illustrated in FIG. 8, can be kept in position between them, which screw by means of its threads can engage the edges of the stamped out portions 37.

The cable fastener according to the fourth embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 is also made of a sheet metal strip, its middle portion forming two parts 49 and 40, which correspond the parts 35,36 of the third embodiment, and these parts are also provided with stamped out portions 41. Two arc shaped portions 42, 43 are connected with parts, the parts 49,40 which are shaped in such a way that they can keep a woodscrew 44 (FIG. 10) with countersunk head in position between them.

The cable fastener according to the fifth embodiment, as per FIGS. 11 and 12 comprises two metal sheet strips, each one exhibiting an arc shaped bent portion 45 and 46 respectively, a center portion 47 and 48 respectively, and two somewhat outwardly turned furrowed end portions 49' and 50 respectively. The arc shaped bent portions 45,46 exhibit end portions designed as hooks 51 and 52 respectively, which can be coupled together. The sheet metal strips are connected by means of a rivet 55 or similar element, which is given such play that the two halves of the fastener can move towards and away from each other in a plane extending through the line of symmetry of the two halves.

The fastener as per FIGS. 1 - 3 is intended to be used when mounting cables on wall or other base of concrete or other material, which has to be drilled before the mounting can be done. During the mounting operation the fastener with the part 1 placed around the cable is introduced with the plug parts 4 in the predrilled hole under simultaneous folding in of the stud 9, so that it is introduced into the groove 3. The fastener now has the appearance as is evident from FIG. 1. Thereafter the stud 9 is struck down with a hammer blow on the outer portion of the stud whereby, its tapering portion 10 penetrates in between the surfaces 6 forcing the plug parts 4 to separate with a burst, so that they keep the fastener in fixed position in the hold. In its final position the part 11 occupies a position in a rabbet 12 of the part 2 of the fastener, whereby the position of the part 9 is fixed in all directions.

When using the fastener according to FIGS. 4-6 the parts 24 and 25 are moved so far away from each other that they can be put over the intended cable, whereafter the parts in question again are moved together approximately to the position illustrated in FIG. 6. In this position the plug parts 27 are parallel to each other and can be introduced into the intended hole. After having been introduced to full depth the parts 24 and 25 are snapped into locking position around the cable by means of the hooking organs 29, whereby they at the same time get centered. Thereby the outer portions of the plug parts 27 are spaced outwards at the same time as the material at the connection 21 is bent, a simultaneous sidewise displacement of them relative to each other taking place because of the relative sidewise displacement of the parts 24 and 25. Thus, the plug parts 27 will be tightly squeezed against the walls of the hole at four points, viz. at their outer ends, and at right angle to them at the end connecting with the parts 24 and 25.

In order to mount the fastener as per FIGS. 7, 8 a hole (FIG. 8) is drilled in the base, which hole is so big that the parts 35,36 can be introduced into the same, when the screw 38 is not tightened. The fastener is subsequently introduced in the hole 53 with said parts 35,36 and a cable, a tube or similar element is placed under the section 31, whereafter the screw 38 is tightened. Thereby by means of the edges of the stamped out portions 37 it moves down betewwn the parts 35 and 36 expanding said parts, so that they bite themselves into the walls of the hole. During the continued tightening operation the parts 32 and 34 of the brace will be bent towards each other and the fastener then exercises a pressure against the cable 54, so that a fixed tight mounting is obtained.

The fastener according to FIGS. 9, 10 in unmounted condition exhibits the shape indicated with in FIG. 9. After the fastener with the parts 49,40 has been inserted into a hole 53, the screw 44 inserted into the brace is tightened, whereby and expansion and riveting is obtained as previously described. The cable 54 can now be laid in between the spaced outer parts 42,43, whereafter said parts are pinched together around the cable. In comparison with the fastener according to the third embodiment this brace 9,10 is a little easier to mount but results in a slightly less firm attachment of the cable.

In the fifth embodiment according to FIGS. 11, 12 there is not any screw entering into the assembly. As is evident from FIG. 12 the fastener is inserted with the parts 47-50 into the hole 53, which the relative distance between the parts 49', 50 does permit. In this position the parts 45,46 are spaced so far away from each other that the cable can be introduced between them. After this has been done, the parts 45,46 are pressed against each other, whereby the hooks 51, 52 engage one another and keep the parts 45,46 together. When the parts 45,46 are moved towards each other, during which movement both parts of the fastener are kept together by the rivet 55, the parts 49', 50 by lever action are spaced out away from each other and are pressed against the walls of the hole 53, by means of which the attachment of the fastener is obtained. 

I claim:
 1. A fastener formed of a moldable material, such as a plastics material, by casting or a similar plastic molding method and arranged to secure an object such as a cable to a base material with the fastener intended to be inserted into and expanded into tightly fitting engagement with the surface of a hole formed in the base material, said fastener comprising an integral unit including a substantially rigid first portion having a shaped surface to hold the object, and an attachment portion spaced laterally from the said shaped surface, an elongated second portion secured to and extending outwardly from the said attachment portion of said first portion and arranged to be inserted into a hole in the base material, said second portion comprising a pair of elongated juxtaposed peg-shaped portions each having a first end secured to the attachment portion of said first portion and a second end spaced outwardly in the elongated direction of said second part from said first portion, said peg-shaped portions spaced apart between the first and second ends thereof and forming an elongated groove therebetween extending between the first and second ends of said peg-shaped portions, the attachment portion of said first portion having a groove therethrough aligned with the groove between said peg-shaped portions so that a continuous groove is provided through said first and second portions, the groove through the attachment portion being open in the elongated direction of the continuous groove on the opposite side of the attachment portion from the shaped surface of said first portion, the facing surfaces of said peg-shaped portions forming the groove having at least a part thereof between and spaced from the first and second ends disposed in tapering relation converging in the direction from the first end to the second end, an elongated expanding element having a first end and a second end, and a thin flexible bar connected to said peg-shaped portions at a location intermediate the first and second ends of said peg-shaped portions and to said expanding element at the first end thereof, said flexible bar having a length between said peg-shaped portions and said expanding element which is significantly shorter in length than said peg-shaped portions and said expanding element, and said thin flexible bar forming a hinge so that said expanding element can be pivoted about the point of connection of said flexible bar to said peg-shaped portions from a first position outside of the continuous groove to a second position where said expanding element is located within and aligned with the continuous groove, in the second position said expanding element having the first end thereof located in the groove between the first and second ends of said peg-shaped portions and the second end of said expanding element being located outwardly from said first portion on the opposite side of said first portion from said second portion, said expanding element in the second position being arranged to be driven into the groove with its first end being driven toward the second end of said peg-shaped portions and said expanding element being shaped between the ends thereof for expanding said peg-shaped portions outwardly away from one another and into tightly fitting engagement with the surface of a hole formed in the base material.
 2. A fastener, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tapered portion of the groove formed between said peg-shaped portions being located between the point of attachment of said thin flexible bar to said peg-shaped portions and the first end of said peg-shaped portions, and said expanding element having a tapered portion adjacent the attachment of its first end to said flexible bar with the tapered portion conforming to the tapered portion of said groove.
 3. A fastener, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the surface of attachment portion of said first portion on the opposite side thereof from said second portion and at least on one side of the groove through said first portion having a rabbet, and a stud secured to and extending laterally outwardly from said expanding element adjacent the second end thereof and said stud arranged to seat within said rabbet when said expanding element is driven into the groove between said peg-shaped portions. 